Container



Jan. 4, 1938. c. A. A-RNErsl-:N

CONTAINER Original Filed Sept. 2, 1950 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES CONTAINER oharolette A. Arnesen, chicago, 111.

Application September 2, 1930, Serial No. l$79,164

I Renewed May 6, 1936 12 claims. (o1. 22a-53) t The invention relates generally vto containers and more particularly to metallic containers used for food and having an opening element which is ripped or torn from its closing relation to the parts of the container, usually by means of a key so as to separate the container into two'parts and ther-eby permit opening thereof.

In opening containers of this character it has been found thatI small splinters oi' metal are often formed along the two torn edges of the parts which are separated by ripping ofthe opening element from its normal position, and that these splinters sometimes fall into the food packed in the container.r The presence of such metal in the food is obviously injurious to the health of the consumer vand the primary object of the present invention is toprovide a new and improved container of this character embodying means to prevent the metal particles from reaching the food within the container.

Another object is to provide a container'of this character embodying means operable to guide they opening element as it is ripped from its normal position in such a manner as to prevent breaking of the element or improper tearing of the wall of the container. v.

Other objects and advantageswill become apparent from the following description taken` in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: f 1 I Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective View show-v ing one end of a container embodying one.r form of the invention.

r Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental section showing .the `container illustrated in Fig. 1. .A Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional `View taken along-the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 1 Fig. 4` is a view similar to Fig. 2` and illus- `trating another embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the container shown in Fig. 4. L y

For purposes of disclosure, two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawing and will hereinafter be described in detail as applied to a container having a particular type of opening element formed as an integral part of the auxiliary wall which surrounds the main or inner wallfof the container, but it is to be understood that this disclosure is not intended as a limitation of the invention to this particular type of opening element nor to this particular type` of container, it being contemplated that various changes might be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andv scope y which is torn, from the flange.

of the invention as dened by the appended claims. f

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 as well as Y in the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the invention is embodied in a container'having anannular sidewall I0 closed in a conventional manner atY its lowervend by bottomwall I I (Fig. 3) and hav.V

ing an open upperend defined by therupper edge I2 of the side wall I0. Extending acrossY andl closing the upper end of the container isa cover I3 which carries an annular flange, seamed thereto at I3EL and designated-generally by the numeral I4, adapted to surround the upper portion of the side wall Ill and to'be secured thereto by soldering the lower edge I5 of the flange I4 to the wall III so as to seal the container.

As illustrated herein,` the opening element is of the type which is integrally formed on the flange I Il and comprises an annular strip I 5 of the flange which is adapted to be ripped from its position to separate the flange into two parts and thereby permit removalof the cover I3.4 In order to insure properoperation of the opening element, itis preferably positioned between a pair of parallel outwardly projecting beads I'I formed in the'flangeY I4 so as to connect directly to the beads. The junctions of the two edges'of the stripfla` with the adjacent beads lII are quite sharp or angular as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing and are structurally weakened as indicated at I8 so ast-o facilitate the ripping of the strip I6 from its connecting relation vwith the two beads I1. By grasping a lug or iiap I9 conventionally connected to the strip I6, the f strip may be torn progressively about the container. `This is preferably accomplished yby 1a longitudinally slotted key 20 (Fig. 1) which may be engaged with thelug I9 and rotated to roll the strip about the key as shown in Fig. 1.

As the strip I6 is ripped from its position between the two beads. I'I, it is guided by contact with .the sides of the beads whereby to insure proper formation of roll about the key. The efficiency of", the beads I1 as guides is Vmaterially increased by forming the sides adjacent the strip I6 substantially perpendicular to the strip. By this construction the strip is engaged and guided at a substantial distance from the point at which it is being torn from the beads. The beads I1 alsov serve to definitely limit the width of the portionV When the opening element I5 is carried by an auxiliary or outer wall such as the flange I4 herein shown, .the fine splinters of metal which are formed along the radjacent edges (that is, the

. will wipe along the torn edges of the beads I 'i and f of the drawing, this undesirable result is avoided Y by means acting duringwthe tearing of the strip I6 to wipe along the torn edgesof the beads i1 so as to remove all of the minute splinters of metal which may be left upon these torn edges. This means preferably comprises a strip 2lV (Figs.

Y2 and 3) of tough flexible material such as paper positioned between the flange Mandthe wall Hl.

laterally in both directions therefrom (Fig. 2) and its ends are overlapped as shown inFig. so that the outer end of the paper strip 2l projects in the same direction as the lug i 9 of the opening element. Y

In order that the paper strip 2l will act automatically to wipe the edges of the beads I1 as the' opening operation progresses, the outerend of the strip is fastened to the opening element IS at a point 22 located on `that part of the. opening elementv which is to be first removed; This may be accomplished by means of a suitable adhesivel With this construction the laterally projecting edges of the paper strip 2i are bent as the strip 2i is drawn bodily through the opening between the two beads I'I and the bent edges of the paper I'I have been thoroughly wiped by the strip I'I,V

the cover vI3 may then be removed without danger of having the metal particles fall from the cover into the food packed in4 the container. Y

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and V5', the food` within the container is protected by a paper cap designated generally as 23, Fig. V4. The cap 23 is of inverted cup-shaped form with its flat portion 24 extending across the open: end of the container within the cover I3 and the side 25 of the cap,23 extending downwardly between the flange I4 and the side wall I0. Preferably the lower edge of the side 25 of the cap extends beyond the lower bead I'I and is gripped tightly between the wall it and the lower edge I5 of the flange I 4 as shown in Fig. 4.

Thus after the opening element I6 hasbeen removed, the cap 23 will be held in place while the cover I3 and the attached portion of,l the flange i4 are removed, with the result that any metal particles dropping from the torn edge of the upper bead Il' will be excluded from theinterior of the container. The flat/portion 24 of the paper cap may then be torn from the center as indicated by the dottedv lines 26 (Fig. 5) and (drawn downwardly along the sides of the container so as to overlie'the torn edge of the lower bead I'I asthe food is poured or otherwise removed from the container. Y

It will 'be noted that-the protecting element in both forms of the invention is of such a character that it is fixed in Vits'position as an Yincident to Vreadily and economically utilized with the type of The paper strip 2l -is ofslightly greater width than the opening element i6 and extends can making and sealing machinery now in use. If instead of employing a tearing strip it is de- Vsired to provide forV opening the container by a cutter therupper bead I1 may be used.V to advantage with a suitable cutter such as that shown in my co-pe'nding application No. 706,246 led January il, 1934. It will be seen that this upper bead provides an annular unoccupied clearance space around the container for receiving the edge of the cutter in the operation of severing the metal. and that this space is closed on its inner side to prevent the entrance of metallic particles formed as an incident to the cutting operation.

VI claim as my invention:

1. In a metallic container having a side wall, a

f cover, Ya ange secured toY said cover and extending alongthe outer surface of the side wall, means securing the edge of vsaid iiange to said side wall,

said flange having an elongated strip thereof adapted to be ripped therefrom to sever said fiange between said cover and said edge of the flange,'and means'positioned between said flange and said side wall operable as said strip is ripped Vfrom the flange to wipe the'edges of the opening thus formed. Y Y Y 2. In a metallic container having a side wall, a cover, a flange secured to said cover and extending along the side of the side walLmeans securing the edge of said flange to said side wall, said flange having an elongated'strip thereof adapted to be ripped therefrom to sever said flange between said coverland said edge,` of the iangeand means positioned betweensaid flange and said side wall operable as said strip is ripped from Vthe flange to wipe the torn edge of the ange which remains attached to the cover whereby to remove loose metal therefrom; Y y

V3. In a-metallic container having aside wall,

Ya cover, a flange secured to said cover and extendl ing alongthe outside of the side wall, means securing the Yedge of said flange to said side wall, saidV flange having an elongated strip thereof adaptedto be rippedV therefrom to sever said flangerbetween said cover and said edge of the flange, and means positioned between VVsaid ange and said side wall and adapted to'berdrawn through the opening formed in the flange to wipe y flange,and means enclosed by the cover and operable to exclude from the food contained therein the particles of metal formed in the opening of the container. Y

5. In a metallic containerjhaving a sidewall, a cover, a iiange secured to said cover and extending along the side of the side wall, means securing the edge of said -ilange to said sidewall, said flange having anelongated strip thereof adapted f.

to beY ripped therefrom to sever said flange between'said cover and said edge of the flange, and means comprising a sheet of frangible material enclosed by the cover and arranged .to be secured in place as an incident to the fastening ofthe flangeto the side walls and operable to exclude metal Vparticles from the food.

6.'A metallic container `having Va wall with an elongated opening element forming a part of said wall, Vsaid element being adapted to be ripped from said wall to open said container, an elongated strip of tough paper positioned within said wall and extending longitudinally of said element, said strip being of greater Width than said element, and means securing said strip to said element whereby to cause said strip to be drawn through the opening formed in said Wall as the opening element is ripped from its position.

7. A sealed metallic container having a wall with an elongated opening element forming a part of the wall, said element `being adapted to be ripped from said wall to separate said container into two parts, and a piece of paper positioned within said container wall and adapted to be drawn through the opening in said wall formed by ripping of said element and to wipe the edge of said opening to remove loose metal therefrom.

8. A sealed container comprising metallic side and bottom walls, a metallic cover having a ange adapted to be slipped over the upper end of said side walls, said flange having an opening element embodied therein for separating the flange between the cover and the edge of said flange,

means sealing the container and securing theY edge of said flange to said side walls, a paper cap enclosed by the cover and extending across and closing the upper end of said side walls, said cap projecting into the space between said iiange and said side Walls and encircling said side walls.

9. A sealed metallic container having end and y side wall, said side wall coacting with one end wall to form a cover and embodying an opening element adapted to be ripped from the side wall to permit removal of the end wall, and a paper cap around said container and project outwardly from said wall, the portion of said wall lying between'said -beads constituting an opening element adapted to be fripped from its connecting relation with the two beads, a lug connected to said opening element and positioned on the outer side of the container, an elongated piece of paper enclosed by the cover and extending longitudinally along said opening element,.said paper being of greater width than said opening element and extending laterally beyond both side edges of said element, and means connecting one-end of said piece of paper to said opening element to cause progressive withdrawal of said paper from the container as the opening element is ripped'from its normal position.

11. A sheet metal container having lan annular wall, said cover being adapted to be ruptured to Y sever the cover at a point within said peripheral edge of the flange to permit removal of the cover, andmeans comprising a sheet of readily frangible material such as paper enclosed by the cover and covering the open end of the container when the cover is removedv whereby to exclude any particles of metal formed in the openingv of the container by the removal of the cover.

12. A container having a sheet metal side wall,

a cover of sheet metal having a peripheral edge portion permanently secured to the side wall and an annular tearing strip adapted to` be ripped from the cover to open the container, and a sheet of readily frangible material such as paper having a peripheral edge portion fastened between theside wall of the container and 'said peripheral edge portion of the cover, said sheet serving to maintain the container closed so as to exclude any particles of metal lformed in the opening of the container by the removal of said strip. CHAROLETTE A. ARNESEN. 

